Berwin Dolphin enters with a splash

Jun 5 2009 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

THE Brewin Dolphin Festival Concert at Perth Festival of the Arts has come to be one of the most important as it brings true music stars to Perth.

Sunday’s closing concert was no exception in that the soloist was Nicola Benedetti, who triumphantly surpassed all expectations. Nor were her ‘backing group’ any less resplendent: the Royal Philharmonic under Andrew Litton.

An unusual start to the concert was Gerald Finzi’s Eclogue, where conductor Andrew Litton also played the solo piano. It was a lyrical piece of great, if restrained, emotion. Not yet entirely attuned to the special qualities of the Steinway and the very special acoustic of the hall, it was played a little too slowly and overprojected. However, from their first entry the rich quality of the RPO strings was a beautiful velvet against which the slightly too separated gems of the piano part were displayed.

The interpretative depth of all involved in the Tchaikovsky will stick in the memory: Nicola Benedetti, for her fabulous technique, giving deeply considered detail, yet a clear overall shape. Her balance of the emotional and the extrovert, her singing tone plus the clarity of the virtuoso fireworks, all told in this performance. She also deserves musicological credit for re-opening the cuts which still bedevil this work. Nor were the RPO under Litton any slouches! Though sounding fresh, all the micro-details and nuances had been minutely put in place and blazed in the performance. The solo winds were outstanding. Another partner was the Hall: it allowed the minute care to come across with more detail and impact. I do not think I have heard so much of what is in this concerto before.

After the interval came Brahms’ Second Symphony. This sunniest of Brahms’ Symphonies was a little too otiose in the first movement. Then the performance switched: The slow movement had an eloquent warmth. The third was light footed and with colourful orchestral nuance and the Finale showed its joy. It was spirited, not just in its fizzing coda. Prolonged applause followed, but not quite enough to reach the encore of the Polonaise from Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin which was on the music stands.